Mallydams Wood

Mallydams Wood is a well established wildlife rehabilitation centre, education centre and woodland nature reserve in the South East of England, covering Kent, Sussex and Hampshire.

Admittance of wildlife

Need help with an orphaned or injured wild animal? Our wildlife centre is open to the admission of wildlife casualties but opening hours depend on the time of year:

April-September: 8am to 8pm

October-March: 9am to 5pm

During these hours you can call us on 0300 123 0723.

Outside of these hours the best thing to do is call the RSPCA's 24-hour cruelty line: 0300 1234 999.

Visiting Mallydams Wood

Visitors can enjoy guided walks through our 55 acres of woodland, go out badger watching, take trips to nearby farms or beaches or even spend a few days at the centre’s residential accommodation. Find out how you can get involved in our events.

Because welfare of the animals is our priority, we can’t allow the public to tour the wildlife centre - too much human contact can prevent animals from making a full recovery.

Supervised visits to support vocational courses or groups can be booked in advance. For enquiries regarding education please call 0300 123 0750.

Youngest Ever Seal Admitted to Centre Returns to the Wild

RSPCA Mallydams celebrates as young pup makes full recovery after four-months in careA seal pup that was born prematurely and rescued from a beach in Kent has made a full recovery and been returned to the wild. The young seal was discovered on the beach at Sandwich Bay in June and was rescued by a team from British Divers Marine Life Rescue who took him to RSPCA Mallydams Wood, in Hastings, East Sussex.Weighing in at just 8.7kg it was essential staff at the centre gave him round -the-clock care, taking it in turns to give him feeds through the night for the first week.Wildlife Rehabilitation Team Manager at RSPCA Mallydams Richard Thompson said: “This pup was the youngest we have ever taken in to the centre. “He was so young his umbilical cord was still attached and he still had his white, downy lanugo coat which is normally lost before birth. Because he still had these we knew he must’ve been born prematurely. “He needed a lot of intensive care and tlc. Sadly we cannot substitute mum’s rich milk so his growth rate was much slower than it would’ve been had everything gone successfully in the wild. “After a month with us he still only weighed just over 11kg. But once he was up to weight and full strength he was put in one of our outdoor seal pools where he could build up his strength and fitness.“We are happy to say that after more than four-months with us he weighed a healthy 31kg and was successfully released back into the wild.

A lottery grant has come to the rescue of one of our pioneering projects, which had been under serious threat.

The Hastings Wild Things scheme has been running since 2010. It uses wildlife and nature to help disadvantaged young people and families gain new skills and confidence and engage with animal welfare issues.

It launched with the help of a three year lottery grant and offered children, teens and young parents the chance to experience the great outdoors through a range of activities at the 56 acre-woodland at our Mallydams Woods Centre in Hastings.

Despite being an instant hit with children, teens and young parents, the project struggled financially after this initial funding ran out and there were fears it would not be able to continue.

Five years of funding

Now the scheme has been awarded a £470,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund for five years.

Bel Deering, manager of Mallydams Wood, said:

“We’re absolutely over the moon with this news.

“The response to the project has been incredibly positive from the start. I have seen with my own eyes the difference it has made to so many young people and families in the area – it has really transformed lives.

“It has been the first time many of the children had seen wildlife and woods – so many people get little chance to get close to nature these days. It’s also an opportunity for us to encourage a respect for wildlife and nature among younger generations.

“It’s been touch and go financially though, and there have been times when we just didn’t think we would be able to continue. The fact that we now have five years funding makes such a difference to what we can do.”

Allow the project to expand

Hastings is ranked by the government as being in the 10 per cent most deprived local authority areas in the country.

Many young people and families who take part in this scheme face personal and social challenges, and the scheme hopes to inspire them through the natural world and boost their self-esteem through practical outdoor activities and education.

The money will pay for two new posts, a community engagement manager and a family engagement officer. It will also allow the project to expand and work with more young people and families, teaching them to enjoy and respect wildlife.

The project has won several awards including the Senior Section Play Achievement Award at the SPARK awards last week, on Wednesday, 12 November. This award was given for their work creating natural play opportunities for families and children to engage with both nature and animal welfare.

Appeals for Mallydams' work

Hedgehogs

Together with Brighton University, here at Mallydams we're carrying out research to monitor around 40 young hedgehogs by attaching tiny radios to them. By studying their movements we hope to improve the future survival chances of young hedgehogs released back into the wild. Please consider helping to support this project.

Orphaned wildlife

The RSPCA has four wildlife centres across the country. Each has a treatment ward for orphaned young animals and it costs £5,200 a month to run these. Find out about these wards and how you can support them.

Teaching young people

It can be hard for children and young people to respect animals and the environment if they have little or no contact with wildlife. So we run the Hastings Wild Things project to reach kids early and break down the barriers that can lead to animal cruelty. Find out more and donate to this important project.

Our events

Sat 14 March

Quiz Night

HASTINGS

XQuiz NightHASTINGSThe Friends of Mallydams Wood are holding another of their popular Quiz Nights. Teams of up to 6 people £4.00 per head. Please bring your own food and drink.Raffle. Book early to avoid disappointment!Sat 14 March from 07:30 PM to 10:30 PMRun by: Mallydams WoodLocation: Mallydams Wood Peter James Lane HASTINGS TN35 4AHMapMapContact: Fiona Cannings at fiona.cannings@rspca.org.ukor +443001230750Find out more

Quiz Night

Sat 14 March from 07:30 PM to 10:30 PMLocation: Mallydams Wood Peter James Lane HASTINGS TN35 4AHMapMapContact: Fiona Cannings at fiona.cannings@rspca.org.ukor +443001230750The Friends of Mallydams Wood are holding another of their popular Quiz Nights in the Education Centre at Mallydams Wood on Saturday 14th March 2015 at 7.30pm (prompt start). There will be a raffle held during the evening.

Teams of up to 6 people £4.00 per head. Please bring your own food and drink. Book early to avoid disappointment!

To Book and for enquiries, please ring 0300 123 0750 or e-mail fiona.cannings@rspca.org.uk

Spring Open Wood

Sat 20 June

Quiz Night

HASTINGS

XQuiz NightHASTINGSThe Friends of Mallydams Wood are holding another of their popular Quiz Nights. Teams of up to 6 people. £4.00 per head. Please bring your own food and drink. Book early to avoid disappointment!Sat 20 June from 07:30 PM to 10:30 PMRun by: Mallydams WoodLocation: Mallydams Wood Peter James Lane HASTINGS TN35 4AHMapMapContact: Fiona Cannings at fiona.cannings@rspca.org.ukor +443001230750Find out more

Quiz Night

Sat 20 June from 07:30 PM to 10:30 PMLocation: Mallydams Wood Peter James Lane HASTINGS TN35 4AHMapMapContact: Fiona Cannings at fiona.cannings@rspca.org.ukor +443001230750The Friends of Mallydams Wood are holding another of their popular Quiz Nights on Saturday 20th June 2015 at 7.30pm (promot start). A raffle will be held during the evening.

Teams of up to 6 people. £4.00 per head. Please bring your own food and drink. Book early to avoid disappointment!

To book and for enquiries please ring 0300 123 0750 or e-mail fiona.cannings@rspca.org.uk

Annual Open Day (NEW DATE)

Sat 12 September

Quiz Night

HASTINGS

XQuiz NightHASTINGSThe Friends of Mallydams Wood are holding another of their popular Quiz Nights on Saturday 12th September 2015 at 7.30pm (prompt start). Team of up to 6 people. £4.00 per head. Please bring your own food and drink. Book early to avoid disappointment!Sat 12 September from 07:30 PM to 10:30 PMRun by: Mallydams WoodLocation: Mallydams Wood Peter James Lane HASTINGS TN35 4AHMapMapContact: Fiona Cannings at fiona.cannings@rspca.org.ukor +443001230750Find out more

Quiz Night

Sat 12 September from 07:30 PM to 10:30 PMLocation: Mallydams Wood Peter James Lane HASTINGS TN35 4AHMapMapContact: Fiona Cannings at fiona.cannings@rspca.org.ukor +443001230750The Friends of Mallydams Wood are holding another of their popular Quiz Nights on Saturday 12th September 2015 at 7.30pm (prompt start). A raffle will be held during the evening.

Teams of up to 6 people. £4.00 per head. Please bring your own food and drink. Book early to avoid disappointment!

To book and for enquiries, please ring 0300 123 0750 or e-mail fiona.cannings@rspca.org.uk

Autumn Open Wood - Chestnuts, Den Building and Hib

Sat 14 November

Quiz Night

HASTINGS

XQuiz NightHASTINGSThe Friends of Mallydams Wood are holding another of their popular Quiz Nights on Saturday 14th November 2015 at 7.30pm (prompt start). Teams of up to 6 people. £4.00 per head. Please bring your own food and drink. Book early to avoid disappointment.Sat 14 November from 07:30 PM to 10:30 PMRun by: Mallydams WoodLocation: Mallydams Wood Peter James Lane HASTINGS TN35 4AHMapMapContact: Fiona Cannings at fiona.cannings@rspca.org.ukor +443001230750Find out more

Quiz Night

Sat 14 November from 07:30 PM to 10:30 PMLocation: Mallydams Wood Peter James Lane HASTINGS TN35 4AHMapMapContact: Fiona Cannings at fiona.cannings@rspca.org.ukor +443001230750The Friends of Mallydams Wood are holding another of their popular Quiz Nights on Saturday 14th November 2015 at 7.30pm (prompt start). a raffle will be held during the evening.

Teams of up to 6 people. £4.00 per head. Please bring your own food and drink. Book early to avoid disappointment.

To book and for enquiries, please ring 0300 123 0750 or e-mail fiona.cannings@rspca.org.uk

Sat 12 December

Festive Open Wood

HASTINGS

XFestive Open WoodHASTINGSOur popular pre-Christmas event will be running from the slightly later time of 4pm - 7pm (last entry 6pm) Entry £1 per head. More information to follow.Sat 12 December from 04:00 PM to 07:00 PMRun by: Mallydams WoodLocation: Mallydams Wood Peter James Lane HASTINGS TN35 4AHMapMapContact: Fiona Cannings at fiona.cannings@rspca.org.ukor +443001230750Find out more

Services offered:

Mallydams Wood

Mallydams Wood is a well established wildlife rehabilitation centre, education centre and woodland nature reserve in the South East of England, covering Kent, Sussex and Hampshire.

Admittance of wildlife

Need help with an orphaned or injured wild animal? Our wildlife centre is open to the admission of wildlife casualties but opening hours depend on the time of year:

April-September: 8am to 8pm

October-March: 9am to 5pm

During these hours you can call us on 0300 123 0723.

Outside of these hours the best thing to do is call the RSPCA's 24-hour cruelty line: 0300 1234 999.

Visiting Mallydams Wood

Visitors can enjoy guided walks through our 55 acres of woodland, go out badger watching, take trips to nearby farms or beaches or even spend a few days at the centre’s residential accommodation. Find out how you can get involved in our events.

Because welfare of the animals is our priority, we can’t allow the public to tour the wildlife centre - too much human contact can prevent animals from making a full recovery.

Supervised visits to support vocational courses or groups can be booked in advance. For enquiries regarding education please call 0300 123 0750.